276 FIEST COUXTY PAEK SYSTEM 



tributed rails for quite a distance on both, sides of the ave- 

 nue in Orange. 



These events cast their shadows before, and no surprise 

 was therefore occasioned when, on August 11, 1901:, the 

 Board of Freeholders danced to the '^'organization"" music 

 and put through, without a hitch, the Central avenue fran- 

 chise just as had been done in East Orange — on the cor- 

 poration's own terms. 



Before the passage of the ordinance a communication, 

 which, on behaK of the Joint Committee on Parkways, I 

 had prepared, was read. This letter called attention to the 

 inconsistent position of the board in now doing for the 

 trolley company — ^in ignoring the non-action of the Orange 

 authorities — ^just what for 3"ears they had declined to do 

 for the Park Commission and the public; referred to the 

 vast sums being expended in other growing urban communi- 

 ties for parkways to unify their park systems, instead of 

 destroying the available parkways, as would result in grant- 

 ing the avenue franchise: and cited numerous instances 

 showing these conditions; also the favorable results of re- 

 strictive franchises, and the inimical effects to the public 

 of such a franchise as that formerly granted for South 

 Orange avenue. In the letter it was also pointed out that 

 the passage of the Central avenue franchise '''under its pres- 

 ent terms, will, if not otherwise prevented, destroy the 

 parkway and hand over to the traction company at least 

 hundreds of thousands of dollars — ^the property of the 

 people of the county, as much as the courthouse, the hos- 

 pitals, asjdums, or any other county property.'^ 



Soon after the freeholders had passed the franchise the 

 case was again taken into court. The property-owning 

 plaintiffs were handicapjoed from the outset by the care 

 exercised by the corporation attorneys in avoiding legal 

 defects, as a result of the failure of the previous ordinance; 

 but more from the fact that they found nearly every con- 

 spicuous lawyer in the State retained, or in some other way 

 under the direction of, or indirect oblis'ation to. the Public 

 S'ervice, or its allied corporations, R, V, Lindabur^', hav- 



